Shadow of the Fox
by namelessvagrant
Summary: Naruto finds himself in an entirely new problem when he tries to live a life without the Kyuubi.
1. Chapter 1: Retake

Author's Note: Hi, this is my first fan fiction.ever really. Most of the writing I do in my free time is usually more original in origin. I'm sorta doing this to win a bet. I'm a little rusty right now since I'm a bit out of practice, but hopefully the quality will pick up a bit as I get further into the story. I may actually do a bit more fan fiction writing as I've forgotten how fun it is to just write in my free time. Maybe I'll do an Inuyasha fic next.  
  
On another note:  
  
// // : Voices in head  
  
Disclaimer: I'm not sure what I'm supposed to put here, or how to make this anymore or less interesting then the thousands of other Disclaimers that get written. I don't own Naruto, its characters, and whatever else that might include. Yada yada yada..  
  
Chapter 1: Retake  
  
Naruto was still sitting at the ramen shop staring into his empty bowl. Iruka sensei had left a while ago, he had missions to do after all. Naruto sat there silently trying to collect his thoughts. The past weeks had been rather rough. Jiraiya was a very... different... teacher. Still, it had been time well spent. He learned a new jutsu, and had helped convince Tsunade to become the fifth Hokage. There were still things that were bothering him. He knew that he was nowhere near the skill of any of the other six ninjas that had been at the battle near Tanzaku castle. There was still a lot he needed to improve on. He knew it, Kakashi sensei knew it, even Iruka sensei knew. but that didn't bother him. What had bothered him the most was when he had confronted the traitor, Kabuto. Kabuto had made the accusation that the only way he had gotten this far was because of the kyuubi. Granted, he hadn't been aware of its presence most of his life but it seemed that every thing in his life was overshadowed by that monster. Most of his life people saw him as just that, the Demon Fox. Itachi had come, not for Sasuke, but for him, or more specifically the fox. Just how many people saw him as only the Fox? He sighed, this reminded him of what he had thought when he met Kohonamaru all over again.  
  
Perhaps they were right. While Naruto didn't like to admit it, he knew that the Kyuubi's chakra was affecting him even if he wasn't actively using it. He healed way too fast to be considered normal. Even injuries such as broken ribs would be gone within days, if not overnight. His hearing was above average, and he often wished it wasn't as he often caught things he didn't care to hear. Was his abnormally large amount of stamina also an attribute to the fox's presence? Too many questions played across his mind, but not enough answers. He knew he was a capable ninja, after all he was a future Hokage. Yet he also didn't want anyone to have doubts about his great ability. Just because his chakra was supposedly rooted in that of a demon's he had other traits that made up for it right? He was surprisingly clever in battle capable of catching even veteran ninjas off guard, he could learn very difficult and complicated jutsus in a fairly short amount of time, he possessed an unmatchable determination, and few could deny that he had come an amazingly long way since he graduated from the academy.  
  
Still, only few people seemed to take notice. It bothered him to no end. He still couldn't keep count of the number of people in this village who gave him those menacing glares when he walked by. Sakura-chan still ogled Sasuke- kun. Sasuke rarely acknowledged him as anything but an idiot. It was frustrating, but he was prepared for this uphill battle. he always had been. It would take time, but it never failed to bring down his mood when he thought about it. With a sigh he pushed those thoughts to the back of his head, thanked the vendor and quickly left the noodles shop.  
  
He stared silently at the sky for a while as he wandered about the village in thought. He had planned to check in on Sasuke, but since he had woken up, there shouldn't be any more problems, and Sakura-chan was probably enjoying their time alone. Perhaps he would go train a bit. However, he had no idea what he would practice. His control of Kage Bunshin no Jutsu was almost perfect. He could work on the Rasengan, but Jiraiya had insisted that he work on it only when he was certain nobody else could see him practice. He knew a lot of basic jutsus from reading scrolls, but while he could do them. He couldn't remember the order of the seals without the scrolls. Lost in thought, he wandered through town. He didn't even notice as he walked right by the training area and into the woods beyond. The sun slowly lowered over the horizon, before Naruto stopped and looked around. Seeing the thick groove of trees he was lost in, he frowned.  
  
" Aww, man, I need more room." He groaned as he began looking for a clearing. It took him about an hour to find an area clear enough to practice the jutsu he had in mind. Forming the seals, it was a Katon type jutsu that while not as impressive as Sasuke's, was something that should have been easy to remember, and simple to do. The Jutsu only created a simple small fireball. The ball sailed harmlessly through the air, until it crashed into the ground and set the grass on fire.  
  
"Whoops!" Naruto gulped as he tried to remember a suiton type jutsu to put it out. He frowned, even if he had remembered one, he'd need to be by a source of water anyway, since he wasn't good enough to create a significant amount of water on his own yet. He looked about frantically as the fire continued to spread. If this continued he might accidentally burn down the forest. A fire during this season could spread faster then he could run as well. There's was a good chance if this fire spread too much he'd become caught within it. Looking about frantically for an answer out of the blue he was surprised to find one. There was something else in the clearing he hadn't seen when he had entered.  
  
"A well!" He cried in surprise. Although his surprise was equally as great when he discovered there was in fact a bucket and a rope to draw water from it as well. Wasting no time, he quickly dumped bucket after bucket over the blaze, and panted in relief after he finally got it under control. That had been a close one. As he returned the bucket to the well, he noticed a sign planted into the ground right next to the well.  
  
"Wishing well. Throw in a coin. Make a wish." Naruto read the sign aloud. This was the strangest thing he had ever heard of. He chuckled as he pulled out his wallet, "A wish, huh."  
  
Good thing he had all these coins now. He had lucked out with a slot machine while on the road with Jiraiya. He still didn't quite understand the concept, but the machine had given him plenty of coins. Taking one, he tossed it down the well as he yelled down into it, "Well, I wish I could prove myself without the stupid fox around. As long as I'm wishing, I also wish that there was a hot girl that liked me, and to be stronger then Sasuke-kun."  
  
"Why am I even doing this?" Naruto sighed as he slumped down near the edge of the well. Who was he kidding? Sitting around wishing for things to happen wasn't about to change anything. With a heavy sigh, he decided he had enough excitement for one night and prepared to head home. Until he realized he couldn't remember which way that was either. He frowned, "Not good." He told himself as he leapt up into the branches of a nearby tree. Hopefully he would gain enough height to be able to look above the forest level. He couldn't have been too far from the village, since he had only been walking. So he should have been able to spot the Hokage monument. The moment he got his bearings he began leaping across the treetops heading back to the village in a hurry. It was very late, and he was thoroughly exhausted by the time he made it back to his house. As he unlocked the door he realized something wasn't quite right. He looked about curiously, but not seeing anything out of the ordinary, he shrugged and went inside. Perhaps he was a bit too wound up after that excitement with the fire. A little sleep was all he really needed. After taking a quick shower, he changed for bed, and went to sleep.  
  
--------------  
  
" Oy! Naaaa-ruuuu-to! Wake up!" A voice floated through the darkness. Naruto groaned as he slowly opened his eyes, it was mourning. The mourning light came streaming through the nearby window, along with an annoyed voice.  
  
"Heeey! Come on! Are you going to spend all day in bed?" The voice continued. Naruto groggily looked out the window. There was someone standing on the narrow street outside his home looking up at him. The coat with the fur trim was more then enough to tip off who it was. The small dog that was being kept in it was the cincher.  
  
"What do you want Kiba?" Naruto groaned, "It's too early..."  
  
"Come on! Get up! We're going to be late for class!" Kiba yelled.  
  
Class?  
  
"I'm not going to be late again cause of you Naruto!" Kiba yelled as he took off down the street.  
  
Naruto blinked. Then blinked some more. What was he talking about? He sighed as he decided to at least get dressed. Putting a pot of water on the boil, he yawned as he headed for the bath room to wash up. At the sound of the pot whistling, he came back and made himself one cup ramen. After quickly devouring it, he then went to change out of his night wear. As he got dressed for the day he noticed something, Pants, shirt, jacket, sandles, kunai holder, shuriken case, travel pouch...  
  
"What the...?" Naruto frowned as he looked around in surprise, it couldn't be, "Where's my head protector?"  
  
In a frantic search he overturned his room, yet couldn't find it. He couldn't believe he has lost it. Perhaps it had fallen off during his strange training exercise last night? But he remembered taking it off last night. So where had it gone? Naruto sat down to think. This was. confusing. Kiba had come up to his house asking if he was ready for class. When they both knew they hadn't had classes together, much less actual classes since they graduated from the academy. And now he couldn't find his head protector. Naruto blinked, as something clicked in his mind.  
  
"No.way." He frowned as he ran downstairs to check his calendar.  
  
"No way." He gasped as he stared at the date on the calendar.  
  
"No way." He gasped, according to this, he hadn't graduated yet. In fact, graduation wasn't for another three months at least. What the hell was going on?  
  
"This must be Kiba's idea of a joke." He frowned, as he went back upstairs to find his goggles.  
  
Naruto's confidence about that judgment, slipped as he began to wander about the city. During the surprise invasion during the Chuunin examines. Several blocks of the city had been demolished by giant serpents and a giant toad. Yet today they seemed to be standing as they always had. How they had repaired the buildings so fast was beyond Naruto. Iruka sensei had said that most of the ninjas in the village were out on missions. So there would be nobody left in town to do all the work. Something was definitely up. Then the unthinkable happened. As he was walking through the streets, he realized people were smiling at him.  
  
"Hey Naruto, shouldn't you be in class?" "Oy, Iruka is going to kill you if you don't get to class soon." "You aren't planning some sort of prank again, are you?"  
  
Naruto, quickly ran all the way to the academy. This was beginning to get creepy. What the hell was going on? The academy wasn't much better.  
  
"Yo, Naruto, late again, eh?" "Iruka-sensei's going to have a fit." "Glad to see you decided to join us, Naruto."  
  
"Err... Iruka Sensei." Naruto blinked. He had made his way to his old class, and sure enough there was everyone.as well as Iruka sensei. Naruto hastily took a seat, and the lecture continued as normal. Naruto was definitely confused, but he refused to let himself show it. This couldn't be one of kiba's jokes. Too many people were involved, and Iruka sensei wouldn't have played along with this sort of thing.  
  
"This shouldn't be happening..." Naruto told himself trying to make sense of what was going on.  
  
"This can't be happening." Naruto corrected himself because it made no sense at all.  
  
"Why is this happening to me?' Naruto asked himself.  
  
//Because you wished it would happen.//  
  
Naruto looked around in surprise, the students sitting next to him were all paying attention to Iruka none of them looked as if they were about to talk to him. So who had said that?  
  
//I wish I could prove myself without that stupid fox around.' That was your wish wasn't it?//  
  
Who? Naruto frowned trying to figure out where the voice was coming from as Iruka continued to lecture away.  
  
//Idiot//  
  
"HEY!" Naruo yelled at the voice, although a little too loud.  
  
"What is it Naruto?" Iruka asked in a tired voice.  
  
"Er...uh... didn't we already cover this?" Naruto asked sheepishly.  
  
"Yes, Naruto, that's why it's called a review."  
  
Several people in the class laughed.  
  
"Oh right."  
  
He sat there wondering in disbelief and confusion. As he tried to figure out where the voice was coming from he realized it wasn't really coming from anyone else at all. It was coming from his own head. He frowned, was he going crazy now too?  
  
//I can't believe you think you can do anything without the Kyuubi.// The voice sighed.  
  
//Just who the hell are you?// Naruto thought back,// and how do you know what's going on?//  
  
//Someone concerned about you. You're stuck in a world that's not yours because you wished it would happen. You wished you could have a chance to prove yourself as a ninja without the fox. So your wish was granted. You are now in a world where the fox was not sealed inside of you. Didn't you wonder why the other people in the village don't stare at you anymore? They're not afraid of you anymore. The Kyuubi was defeated in the battle 12 years ago instead of sealed within you. This is your chance to prove you're really a ninja.//  
  
"Eh-heh." Naruto smiled. Finally.  
  
//I certainly hope you're up to it. After all, this world is very similar to the one you left. Although I can't guarantee what will happen or not. There will still be obstacles you have to face, Challenges you have to meet, both old and new. I certainly hope you don't get killed before then. After all what are you going to do against some of your opponents without the Kyuubi? Like Haku, or Neji...//  
  
"err..."  
  
//Or Gaara?//  
  
Naruto's blood froze. True, none of that had happened yet. During each of those fights he had drawn off the power of the Kyuubi, and against Gaara that had barely been enough. He frowned, this was an interesting handicap. He would just have to become a whole heck of a lot stronger in very very little time he had to prepare for them. More training was needed, much more training.  
  
//Ah? Scared already? That's never a good sign. I hope you enjoy yourself. Naruto Uzumaki. Just remember, you brought this upon yourself.//  
  
"But..."  
  
The voice stopped talking after that. Naruto sighed, he would face those challenges when he got there. Right now he wondered exactly how he was going to face this first obstacle; not dying of boredom from Iruka-sensei's long lectures.  
  
-------------  
  
During the lunch break, Naruto locked himself in the restroom, and tried to see if the seal was still on his stomach. He wasn't surprised to see that it wasn't there. Even when he channeled a considerable amount of chakra through his body it didn't appear. It confirmed the voices' statements, but puzzled him even more. If the fox was gone, then who was he talking to? He tried to ask, but the voice didn't seem to want to answer. Naruto only scowled, and sat through the rest of the boring class. It wasn't boring because it was Iruka sensei teaching it. Now it was boring because he had indeed learned this. Although he did realize that if he had learned this properly the first time, Kakashi Sensei wouldn't have had to force him to climb trees in order to do so. When class finally got out, the first thing Naruto did was make a break for it back into the woods.  
  
//Hmm? Where are you headed off to all of a sudden?//  
  
"Back to that well." Naruto growled, "and why are you so interested in what I do?"  
  
//Like I said, I'm someone concerned about you.//  
  
"And just who are you?"  
  
The mysterious voice didn't answer. Naruto scowled. So the voice bothers him at any time it wants and ignores his questions. He has just picked up a presence that was more annoying then the fox. At least the fox didn't make him think he was crazy. As he tried to remember exactly where the clearing was, he was surprised to find that something seemed...odd about the woods that he had never noticed before. Except he couldn't quite place what it was, just like last night in front of his house. He shook the feeling off and continued his search. After about two hours of hopping wildly from tree to tree. Naruto finally came across the clearing he thought he had been in last night.  
  
"How!?" He asked in shocked surprise as he found the slightly burned clearing. The grass was still charred from the fire last night. A discarded bucket lay on its side a few feet away. However, there was no well. Naruto stood there silently. He figured this much. Well there was no turning his back to this now. What ever happened he was in it for the long haul. He let out a heavy sigh as he turned and headed back to the village and prepared to live his life all over again. 


	2. Chapter 2: Training Days 1

Authors Notes: I do apologize for taking so long to update this. Life came crashing down on me. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this next chapter.  
  
// // Voices in Naruto's Head  
  
Chapter 2: Training Days 1  
  
"Uzumaki, Naruto." Iruka called.  
  
No answer.  
  
He hadn't been expecting one either. He was worried. It wasn't like Naruto to miss class. As often as he was late, disruptive, and a poor student, he rarely missed a day of class. Sure he would run out if he thought the lesson was boring, but he was always there in case something interesting might have been taught. In fact he taught the entire class a new Jutsu that he wasn't planning on teaching just to see if he would come running in after school demanding to be taught, yet he had not come. For two weeks Naruto had simply disappeared. Yet everyone knew he was still around. He was seen at the Ramen shop, he was seen leaving and returning to his home, but most disturbingly, he had been seen going to and leaving the hospital several times in the past few weeks.  
  
"Where is that boy?" Iruka frowned as he continued the roll call.  
  
Across town, that boy, was lying on his back in one of the many forests used as a training ground. It was remote enough that he was sure nobody knew that he was using it. Panting in exhaustion, he lay there as he waited for his body to catch up. He had been putting everything into his training, and so far he wasn't making much progress. Among the first things he had done when he had realized he was stuck here was test the limits of his chakra. To his surprise he still had his normal store of chakra, which was considerable. However it didn't return to him as quickly. So his foremost effort was working on control.  
  
Creating the Rasengan used every energy manipulation exercise he knew about, gathering the chakra at a certain point like the tree climbing exercise, expelling the chakra like the water walking exercise, gauging how much chakra he was using (although he was still working on a way to figure out how to do that without using pain as his measuring stick), the concentration of that energy on a single point like the leaf on the head, and keeping all that energy under control which was the third step in forming the Rasengan. So he spent hours on end, making and releasing the powerful balls of spinning energy. He wasn't sure if he was improving any, but it was a start. At the very least, he was getting better at creating them. He could properly shape them without the clone now. Although he still needed to use both his hands to make one ball, it was progress. He couldn't be sure he had improved at actual Chakra control or just creating the Rasengan, but it was uplifting to finally see any signs of progress.  
  
He slowly pulled himself back to his feet. Although he went home every now and then to gather supplies, and went to the hospital to get medical ones. Besides the few nicks and scratched caused by debris caught up in the maelstrom of wind created by the Rasengan, He had to bandage both his hands due to the burns caused by the focused chakra. He stiffly flexed his fingers, it felt as if they were going to fall off, but he still prepared himself to try again.  
  
"I can do this." He told himself as he began forming another ball of energy.  
  
//and pigs fly.//  
  
"What do you know?" Naruto snapped as he watched the sphere in his hands form.  
  
//Look at you, you can barely stand. You're not going to get any useful training done this way. You're too obsessed to think straight, and you're too afraid to stop.//  
  
"What do you know?" Naruto snapped as the ball reached completion.  
  
//That's EXACTLY what I'm talking about.//  
  
"Just who the hell are you!?" Naruto screamed as he tossed yet another Rasengan into the air. The energy dispersed in a violent storm of wind, the trees shook beneath its furry, as it died down, Naruto heard the voice one last time.  
  
//Isn't that something you should ask yourself?//  
  
Naruto panted in exhaustion as he lay on his back. Who was he? He was Naruto Uzumaki of the Leaf. Wasn't that a dumb question? He had always been himself, and he had always done things his way. He knew who he was. Except... This place wasn't his home. Everyone acted differently now. He wasn't the outcast because of the monster fox, he was the outcast now because he was avoiding them to train. When he usually went seeking attention, he was now avoiding it. Always training to prepare himself, to protect his friends...Friends he hadn't seen at all since he got here. Almost like...Sasuke, how much of that egotistical jerk had rubbed off on him?  
  
"That's not who I am acting like... is it?" Naruto sighed as he stared at his bandaged hands.  
  
//You know, when you stop to think about it, you and Sasuke are very much alike.//  
  
"Don't go there..." Naruto growled as he shook his head in disbelief. "I guess I shouldn't be worrying everybody by being out here so long."  
  
//I'm glad to see you're not as dumb as you look.//  
  
"Just who are you anyway?" Naruto asked.  
  
//You wouldn't believe me. I'm just someone who's concerned about you. Training can come after class. Right now, I think there are people you need to see.//  
  
The voice sounded depressed and tired. It was in that moment Naruto finally recognized the voice, it was his own. He hadn't recognized its tone before as he had never spoken with such a cynical sarcasm in his voice before, however the depression he remembered. So he was talking to himself... or perhaps another part of himself? Whatever the case, for the first time since he had heard it he was grateful.  
  
"You sure you don't want to tell me?" Naruto smirked, "I'd hate to think a part of me is upset about something."  
  
//Huh? Hehehehe.... So you've finally figured that part out huh? Well that's good. We'll talk about this later, right now, I need a nap...//  
  
--------------  
  
"Uzumaki, Naruto."  
  
No answer.  
  
"Just who does that boy think he is?" Iruka frowned.  
  
Elsewhere, that boy was running through the city at a frantic pace. It had been a few days since Naruto had stopped his intense training regimen. He still hadn't been to class yet. Instead, he used his time as an opportunity to see many of the townspeople. As nice as it was to see them, there was also one other thing he had to do, and his next visit was probably the most important one he could think of. Of course, he was getting a few stares as he barged into the chambers of the Hokage.  
  
"Just who do you think you are?" One of the attendants yelled.  
  
"I need to speak with the Hokage!" Naruto yelled back.  
  
"Yeah right, kid! Get out!" The attendant said as he tried to literally throw Naruto out, only to discover he had grabbed a shadow clone. It disappeared before it even touched the ground. The attendant was so surprised that he didn't even notice the real Naruto lock him out of the Hokage's chambers. The third Hokage simply watched with an amused look on his face, as Naruto came running up to him. To him, this was very unusual behavior for the town's biggest prankster.  
  
"We need to talk." Naruto said sternly.  
  
"Hmm? Come to challenge me for the Hokage title?" The Hokage asked innocently.  
  
"No, I'm not like your grandson. I came to warn you about something."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"In about six months we'll be hosting the next Chuunin examine, right?"  
  
The Hokage blinked, that was news to him. He hadn't been aware the council had already made that decision. Even if they had, it wasn't like the representative from the Fire country's high council to tell him until a couple weeks before the tournament anyway. Naruto went on about how Orochimaru would attack the village, and how he would be stopped when the thirds sacrificed his own life to use a sealing jutsu on him.  
  
"Interesting, and how would you know all this.' The Hokage asked.  
  
"Well it's kinda complicated... I made this wish, and I didn't really expect it to come true, but it did, and now I'm here. There are some other problems I have to worry about, but they shouldn't be anything I can't handle. It's just that I have to do something else that's really important during the examine, and I wouldn't be much help to you against Orochimaru anyway."  
  
"Would you know the whereabouts of Orochimaru as of now?"  
  
"No, I'd imagine he'd be in the sound village though. Everyone who takes orders from him seems to be from there."  
  
"That's interesting...if you were taking the Chuunin examine, I'd imagine you were a part of a team of three. Would you mind telling me who was on your team, and your teacher?"  
  
"Yes, with Sasuke Uchiha, and Sakura Haruno. Our teacher was Kakashi sensei."  
  
"I see, do you plan on telling anyone else this story of yours?"  
  
"Not really, I don't think anyone else would believe me. Besides, I don't think most of them will like what I have to say. I know I don't like being told how the future will take shape just because someone thinks it's destined to happen. After all, now that I've told you about Orochimaru, we don't know if you really are going to die fighting him or not, do we?" Naruto grinned.  
  
"Is there anything else you'd like to tell me?" The Hokage asked.  
  
"No."  
  
"Then you may go now, Naruto. I hope you eventually choose to go back to class. So I won't have Iruka sensei bothering me all the time."  
  
With that Naruto left. A shadowy figure materialized in the corner.  
  
"You don't really believe him do you Hokage-sama?"  
  
"He's hiding a lot, but I suppose it may be for the best." The Hokage mused, "His story seems a bit too far fetched to not be the truth though."  
  
"Excuse me? Too far fetched to not to be the truth? He's just making up fantasies. Of course he'd love to be in a team with the best two students in his grade, and Kakashi. Kakashi would be the perfect teacher for Sasuke. So it's obvious he would be your choice for Sasuke's teacher. He probably found Orochimaru's history in one of the record books and concocted this far fetched story as a prank."  
  
"How many ANBU know that Orochimaru is connected to the sound village? How many people know that there is a sound village? How does he know an advanced kinjutsu? I think there's a lot more to his story then you give it credit for. However, I don't think we know all of the facts yet... Kakashi Hatake is one of our best jounin, and not one who would usually volunteer for a teaching job too. I would probably have had to assign him to it. Even though Kakashi is the only other Sharingan user in the leaf, Sasuke isn't the type to want help mastering his family's style. So there has to be another reason why I put him in that team..."  
  
"He's on assignment right now, and probably will be for the rest of the year. Are you going to pull him off and assign him to watch this Naruto Uzumaki?"  
  
"Perhaps that would be best, it would be familiar for this Naruto, and Kakashi can give me reports on any new developments. Until then I want you to assign someone to watch Naruto, at least until he graduates. I knew this boy would end up being special, but I did not expect this...."  
  
--------------  
  
While the Hokage was having his conversation after Naruto had left, another group was having a very similar conversation.  
  
"So, this Naruto already knows of Orochimaru's part in our plan...."  
  
"Yes, but how much does he know of our plan?"  
  
"Enough that he's in the way..."  
  
"He's also demonstrated a phenomenal improvement in ability."  
  
"Do you think he's the sleeper?"  
  
"Unlikely, but....it's possible."  
  
"I want someone to keep an eye on this Naruto. If he's really from the future, his knowledge may prove to be useful. If he's the sleeper, I want him dead."  
  
-------------  
  
" Uchiha, Sasuke."  
  
"Here."  
  
"Watabe, Ryushi."  
  
"Here."  
  
"Hey! You skipped me."  
  
Naruto's shout had been heard through out the academy, but the next shout was heard clear across the leaf village.  
  
"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!?" 


	3. Chapter 3: Confusion

Authors note: Mmm…I bet most of you didn't expect me to update this. It's been like what…five months? In truth, I forgot about this completely. I only remembered when my friend reminded me of our little bet. Aaaaanyway. I promise I'll try not to take this long to update ever again... I still intend on winning that bet. So here's chapter 3.  
  
// // Voice in Naruto's head  
  
/ / Naruto 'talking' to the voice or to himself.  
  
{ } Akamaru "talking" to Kiba.  
  
Chapter 3: Confusion  
  
Although the fact the feeling itself was unsettling for Sasuke, it was the reason behind this feeling that bothered him the most. He risked a glance back at Naruto, but quickly turned away when Naruto waved at him. A scowl crossed his face as he tried to figure out what had happened to Naruto. Sensing another's chakra wasn't a very hard thing to do, but he doubted many of the other ninjas in the room, even Iruka, could sense it very well. Otherwise they would have also been staring at Naruto. All living beings radiated a small fraction of their Chakra unless they were consciously trying to suppress it. What bothered Sasuke, wasn't the fact he could feel Naruto's chakra, but that he couldn't feel it at all. Naruto usually had a large amount of unfocused chakra about him. It spoke volumes on his poor control. Yet when he had suddenly started to attend class again, even Sasuke wasn't aware he had been in the room until he had shouted at Iruka.  
  
He of course wasn't the only one who could sense Chakra well. Akamaru was also aware of Naruto's increase in ability, but it wasn't the chakra he couldn't feel that bothered him. He had always known Naruto possessed a huge amount of Chakra. In fact a lot of students here at the Academy did, but he could actually tell the amount of Chakra Naruto was hiding. It was immense, he had to have at least twice the amount of anybody in class...even Iruka. The fact that nobody here, not even Iruka, had noticed this spoke volumes for his control. There was also something about it he didn't like, but wasn't quite sure what it was. At first he had been worried it wasn't Naruto, but he still smelled like Naruto. So Akamaru wasn't all that worried. After all Naruto had always been a nice guy and even if he played pranks and teased people a lot. He was a good person. So Akamaru decided not to bother Kiba and make him worry about Naruto being a possible threat.   
  
The truth of the matter was probably a bigger surprise to anyone, including Naruto. Many had always speculated that the Kyuubi's powerful chakra mixing with Naruto's own chakra made it difficult for him to control his Chakra. There was truth to this because Naruto's poor control was in fact superior then most when it came to handling great amounts of chakra, and while Naruto's own chakra was much larger then it had been when he had once been in the academy. It was no where near the amount he used to possess. It was like training with heavy weights. With the greater amount of weight, one would seem to move slow, but without it one would move much faster. This was no different. With less chakra to control, Naruto's control was absolutely perfect. All that was really stopping him from making a Rasengan spin on one hand was his own belief that he couldn't.  
  
The voice in his head knew that the two weeks Naruto had spent working on his control were wasted in that regard. However, burning through his chakra like that was definitely going to help him improve on his stamina. Something he would need in the near future. So it let Naruto progress with that training, but since any sort of training would help improve stamina. He eventually insisted Naruto find something else to study. So for the past month he had been practicing Taijutsu in the woods after class for a couple hours every day. He eventually created his own Taijutsu exercise which was working wonders for his Taijutsu ability. Despite Naruto was upset with himself that he was nowhere close to matching Lee's full speed, since Sasuke had managed that in just a month, his improvement hadn't gone unnoticed by others.  
  
That had been the other thing Sasuke had noticed. Naruto carried himself differently. Seeming to be much more skilled, he was even amazed when Naruto quickly caught a pencil that had rolled off his desk. Sasuke had barely been able to spot Naruto's hands when he made that incredibly swift catch. Had he not been wondering about Naruto's lack of presence he would have also completely missed that display of ability. So not only was Naruto gifted in chakra control, but his physical skill was nothing to be laughed at either. Sasuke grinned, here was an interesting ninja to test himself against. He continued to watch Naruto for the rest of the class, constantly trying to evaluate his skill level.  
  
Kiba who often wondered what Akamaru found interesting about Naruto, took a while to evaluate Naruto himself. During one of the breaks, one of the other students made a comment about how Naruto would never graduate, Naruto seemed to take offense at this and dropped into a ready stance as he shouted at the other student. Even if Naruto was probably kidding around as he wouldn't really take a swing at another student. Kiba took his time to study Naruto's guard. Kiba didn't really judge himself as a Taijutusu expert, but as he watched Naruto he came to the conclusion that it would have been difficult for him to land an attack against Naruto. He wondered when Naruto had gotten so good. He decided he would ask Akamaru about it later, and put it out of his mind for the rest of the day.  
  
Actually, the entire class had noticed a change in Naruto, but only Kiba and Sasuke really noticed the changes in skill level. Everyone else noticed a change in Naruto when Naruto began to pay attention in class and started to ask relevant and intelligent questions. Iruka summed up everyone else's surprised with one question he had asked several weeks ago.  
  
"What did you do with Naruto?"  
  
--------------  
  
Class had ended for the day, and Kiba, Shikamaru, and Choji were walking together towards the Ichiraku. Shikamaru was staring at Naruto pondering something. Kiba was lost in conversation with Akamaru, and Choji was arguing with Naruto over how good Teriyaki was compared to Ramen. Shikamaru always thought Naruto was an interesting character, but it only got more interesting when Naruto paused in his conversation with Choji and looked over to Kiba.  
  
"Did...your dog just call me a loser?" Naruto asked blankly.  
  
Kiba looked surprised for a moment, but denied it. From just that Shikamaru knew that the dog had compared Naruto to a looser somehow. The absolutely bizarre moment continued. As Akamaru barked again, and a moment later Shikamaru noticed Naruto twitch, but he said nothing this time and returned to arguing with Choji. Shikamaru was almost certain Naruto had understood the dog clearly. However, what really happened was a little different.  
  
--Flashback to a couple seconds before--  
  
{It's strange. I don't understand how someone can become so skilled in such a short amount of time. It's like the looser of a race suddenly running twice as fast as everybody in front of him to win.}  
  
"Yeah it doesn't really make any sense." Kiba agreed.  
  
//Hey Naruto, Kiba's dog thinks you're a looser.//  
  
/WHAT!? Wait...you can understand that mutt?/  
  
//Yup. Go ahead and ask him yourself.//  
  
"Uh...Did...Your dog just call me a looser?" He asked Kiba slowly.  
  
{I did not! Well... I guess I did, it was a bad analogy! You really aren't!} Akamaru yelped in protest not sure if Naruto could actually understand him or not.  
  
"Akamaru's not like that! He wouldn't call you a looser for no reason." Kiba yelled angrily, "although I would" he mentally added.  
  
//Oooh and now he's telling you your rude because you interrupted their conversation!//  
  
/I don't believe you. I don't think you understand that dumb dog./  
  
//Think what you will, but you don't know what he really said, do you?//  
  
Naruto's twitched because it was true, he didn't. He didn't even know why he asked. There was no reason to believe the voice knew what the dog was saying, it was probably just taunting him. After all, the voice was somehow a part of himself, and he knew he couldn't speak to animals... well at least he was pretty sure he couldn't, or the voice might not really be a part of him. After all the way it talked implied it considered itself as someone else. Yet it had said it was a part of him. Naruto sighed, this was why he didn't like thinking too hard about something. It only made his head hurt.  
  
-------------  
  
After Naruto, had paid for his meal and excused himself to go and train, Shikamaru and Kiba waited a couple minutes before deciding to follow him. Choji was still eating, and didn't even notice them leave. Ten minutes later they found themselves, sitting in a tree overlooking one of the training fields. Naruto hadn't even noticed they had followed him out there. Kiba wondered why Naruto had chosen one of the bigger fields reserved for team practices. The individual training fields were further into the forest and usually more secretive. Shikamaru wondered what Naruto was planning to practice out here because he was in the middle of the field rather then by the training stumps.  
  
//Alright, Naruto...what's the plan today?//  
  
/I think we're up to 40 now. You know that's a lot isn't it.//  
  
//Y ou could probably do a lot more then that.//  
  
/Yeah I could, but it's hard enough to win at this level as it is./  
  
Naruto chuckled to himself as he readied his chosen training weapon.  
  
"Needles? What in the world is he going to do with acupuncture needles?" Kiba asked as he squinted at the thin mental objects that Naruto was carrying. Naruto calmly placed them in the leg holster that would usually house his shuriken. He casually stretched out a bit, and then adopted a ready stance. Without another word he performed a handful of seals that neither of the two ninjas in the trees recognized. The next instant the field was full of Naruto's.  
  
"That's a lot of Bunshins." Kiba whistled staring at the number.  
  
The Bunshins were all facing Naruto. They all suddenly seemed to blur. The air was filled with the noise of combat, but neither ninja could really see what was going on. Their movements were surprisingly fast to them. Their speed was about the same as Lee's with the weights on. While that was nowhere near as impressive as Lee without them. Lee was still fast regardless. It took a while for Shikamaru and Kiba to adjust their eyes to watching Naruto's speed. From there it took just as long to register that Naruto was actually fighting his clones, and that the clones were in fact being hit and landing blows on Naruto as well.  
  
"What sort of Jutsu is that?" Shikamaru asked in wide eyed fascination. As Naruto took a hit from a flying needle, he realized the needles were apparently as real as the clones. Naruto spun around and kicked the nearest bunshin while pulling out the needle. Naruto was glad he had them using needles instead of Shuriken. The needles hurt a lot less. The bunshin he had hit flew through the air and landed flat on its back behind all the other clones. It disappeared moments later. The mob of Naruto's were trying their hardest to bring down Naruto, but Naruto was expertly fighting them all off. It wasn't really a matter of strength or speed. As all of Naruto's clones were apparently just as fast and strong as he was, but pure skill. Many of Naruto's attacks seemed to have been adapted for group tactics. He left few openings, and his attacks were meant to fend off several opponents in different directions. A much more defensive type of combat style rather then his usual reckless offensive one that they had seen before. Each move flowed into the next one as he batted clones about left and right trying to keep them out of a certain radius around him in order to give him enough time to react to their movements.  
  
"Have you ever seen anything like that?" Kiba asked in fascination. As Naruto used Kawarimi to switch places with a log, the log had taken the hail of needles that had been thrown before hitting the ground. Naruto reappeared in the air and landed outside of the circle. The clones surrounded him again within seconds, and Naruto continued to fight them all off. Parrying a punch from one he quickly punched that clone, and then without even bothering to look at the clone sneaking up behind him, sent his fist backwards and knocked that one out as well. Naruto did a quick head count of the clones that were surrounding him. Twenty three left, he smirked and went on the offense. Launching himself at the nearest group of clones. They were completely unprepared for the onslaught. He managed to knock four of them out of the fight and seriously hurt one, he hadn't hit it hard enough to destroy it, before the others managed to close in on him. He quickly forced them away from him with several kicks and a quickly thrown volley of needles. Naruto took a headcount again. Thirteen. He smirked, he might actually win this one.  
  
He was finally caught off guard when one of the Bunshins suddenly sped up and got behind Naruto. Neither Kiba nor Shikamaru saw the Bunshin move that fast. It looked as if it had suddenly appeared behind Naruto, and dealt him a swift spin kick before disappearing. The bunshin had focused its chakra into its feet and accelerated behind Naruto, before kicking him. The fact that this had burned up all its chakra allowed it to land only one hit before it disappeared, but that one hit had knocked Naruto into the waiting arms of at least four more clones. Naruto disappeared under the mass of bunshins as they surged forward. Naruto sighed as he realized he would have to work on his guard some more. His hands were being kept apart so he couldn't form any seals, and the weight of all the clones were preventing him from moving his body with enough force to throw them off. He wondered just how he could get out of this situation. Squirming wasn't really helping him, and he couldn't perform any Jutsu. It looked like the clones had won this round.  
  
"Gatsuuga!"  
  
"Kiba?" Naruto asked in surprise as he recognized the name of Kiba's best taijutsu technique. The clones were violently thrown off him or destroyed when Kiba passed over. Naruto managed to get back to his feet despite his shock. Kiba's attack had destroyed all the clones that had had him pinned, "What are you doing here?" Naruto asked as he dropped the Jutsu and the rest of the clones disappeared.  
  
Kiba blinked as the other clones he had missed disappeared. Realizing that Naruto's Jutsu probably wouldn't be trying to kill him. He scratched his head in embarrassment, "I thought you were in trouble."  
  
"Heh, I could have handled it." Naruto laughed, "did you follow me out here?"  
  
"We were curious as to how you trained." Shikamaru answered from behind him.  
  
"Shikamaru? You too? Jeez did everyone come?"   
  
"No, just us. What kind of Jutsu was that?" Kiba asked.  
  
"Well, as long as you know I'm much better then I used to be. I might as well explain everything..." Naruto sighed, "Sit down, this'll take a while. Where should I begin..."  
  
Naruto began to recount his story, from his graduation at the academy the first time, the Chuunin examines, and his exhaustive battle with Gaara. He decided to leave out the part about the fox, and exaggerated a little when it came to his skill before. Kiba looked a little put off that his supposed future self couldn't beat Naruto, and Shikamaru looked a little put off that he would have to fight several girls. Neither really looked like they actually believed Naruto's story. Naruto decided to cut his story short and skipped to the well to save time as the sun was already beginning to set. He left out the exact wording of his wish, but explained how he had come across the wish and had made a wish on it not really expecting to have it granted.  
  
"Why are you afraid of this Gaara person. I mean you've apparently trained a lot and I'm sure you've learned some more things since your fight with Gaara." Shikamaru pointed out.  
  
"Yeah, that's true. I did learn a really powerful Jutsu after I fought Gaara, and it'll probably help a lot. It's just that I've seen Gaara beat people who move at least ten times faster then I do right now, and I needed to summon something really powerful to even fight his transformed state at all, and I'm certain I can't do that anymore."  
  
Although Naruto had gone into detail about Gaara's sand like powers, none of it really sunk in until he mentioned the fact that he had seen someone ten times faster fight Gaara and loose. Both Kiba and Shikamaru didn't thank that was possible, and if it were. Then this Gaara person's shield sounded as if it was practically impossible to break.  
  
"So if you really know what's going to happen in the future, what team do I end up on?" Kiba asked wanting to change the subject.  
  
"Well, you were on a team with Shino and Hinata. It may or may not happen this time around. I don't believe in fate. I don't think you're fated to end up on their team, so it might end up being different."  
  
"Well isn't that a convenient excuse." Shikamaru smirked.  
  
"Well, I'm not making it up. What can I do to convince you I'm telling the truth?" Naruto sighed.  
  
"How about doing that Summoning Jutsu?" Kiba asked, curious because he had seen one before, but didn't believe any low level ninja could do it.  
  
"I can't! I don't have the contract anymore. I haven't signed it yet!" Naruto frowned. Although the two gave him weird looks as they didn't know what Naruto was talking about. Naruto sighed as he wondered how he would explain that.  
  
"Just go through the motions then, I've seen my dad do one a couple times. If you know the basic form for a summoning jutsu, then I'll believe you. It is a really hard Jutsu to do after all." Kiba said.  
  
"But..."  
  
"I'm pretty sure you don't know anyone who knows it Naruto, and I know that most people keep their higher level techniques closely guarded secrets anyway, and a summoning would be one of them. If you know how to summon then that will be proof enough for me." Kiba continued almost certain Naruto didn't know what he was talking about.  
  
"Alright, you win." Naruto sighed as he took a small bite out of the skin on his thumb, letting a small trickle of blood flow, "But nothing's going to happen."  
  
Naruto sighed as he performed the seals and Kiba watched in blank fascination. Naruto, blinked when he noticed something actually was happening. He felt a tug on his chakra. Surprised, he finished the motions for the Jutsu, and a brilliant glow formed beneath his hand. There was a blinding flash, followed by a blast of wind. Both Kiba and Shikamaru covered their eyes to shield themselves from the dirt that the wind kicked up. There was a moment of awkward silence over what had just happened, but it was eventually broken.  
  
"Hey, Naruto, what's up? Long time no see!"  
  
"Gamakichi!?" 


	4. Chapter 4: Complications

Author's Notes: I'm aware several people are prompting me to update this faster. I suppose I should, but this isn't exactly high on my list of priorities. Work, School, and Family do come first. Plus this isn't exactly my only hobby... Since the school year will be over relatively soon. I should be able to kick more update out at a more frequent pace. Anyway, I hope you're enjoying this fiction so far, and I'm glad there are people who like it.

Hmm...putting in two slashes wasn't working right when I uploaded this, and I don't really want to figure out why. Even if I didn't really use it much in this chapter, I don't want to deal with it in future chapters so I just changed it. Hope that doesn't throw anyone off.  
  
On another note, even though I am working on this. I've been reading some of the Ranma 1/2 and Naruto crossovers scattered across the site, and it got me to thinking about how to do one... and I got this lovely idea... Ranma ½ tends to be another favorite of mine. I don't plan on doing anything with it in this fic mind you... but don't be surprised if one shows up by me in the near future.  
  
# # Voice in Naruto's head  
  
/ / Inner Dialouge.  
  
{ } Akamaru  
  
Chapter 4: Complications  
  
"Huh? Wha? Bwuh? Gah?" Naruto had been trying to choke out the questions he had, but his mouth was having trouble keeping up with the stream of words he was trying to get out at the same time. Gamakichi looked up at him with a smug grin. Naruto could tell the small frog obviously knew something about what was going on and knew this was just getting Naruto worked up. He would have lost his temper right there and yelled at the frog, but that got lost from the sudden shouts of the even more surprised Kiba and Shikamaru. Actually, just Kiba. Shikamaru seemed to be more amused then surprised. Most of the conversation was lost in all the yelling. Between Naruto yelling at Gamakichi, Kiba shouting out how amazed he was, and Shikamaru trying to calm Naruto down. Nobody really heard what Gamakichi was trying to explain. Gamakichi eventually gave up trying to talk, and let himself be amused by the current situation.  
  
Some time later, after all the shouting had ended. Gamakichi explained what he understood about Naruto's situation.  
  
"Well, Naruto, explaining what happened is kinda weird. We know about that wish you made. We've always known about that well in fact. It actually belongs to a kami. But pops says, the kami it belongs to can't actually change the past, something about it not being in the kami's 'domain of influence' whatever that means. So in order to actually change your past, you were taken out of your original time line and put into this one. So you're really on a different world that just happens to be a year behind ours. Since our realm is on a different world then yours to begin with. Summoning us here shouldn't be any harder then summoning us on your original world...Might actually be easier come to think of it. It is relatively closer when you consider the amount of dimensions between them."  
  
"That explains a lot." Naruto nodded, despite he didn't really understand a word of it.  
  
"So if he's from a different world. What happened to our Naruto?" Shikamaru asked.  
  
"I dunno. Maybe he was sent to this Naruto's home world. I wouldn't be surprised, but I can't actually tell you since I'm not from that world either."  
  
"Well, I suppose it wouldn't be that bad if Naruto went there, I mean the worst is over for him isn't it?" Shikamaru asked.  
  
"Umm...well...no, from what I heard Naruto's life wasn't about to get any easier." Gamakichi gulped. He didn't really want to tell them about what had happened the very day after Naruto left. It was a very messy incident. Involving Sasuke and that cursed seal. A lot of people had died. Although nobody had seen Naruto during all that, so if the other Naruto was there he was probably hiding. Which probably saved him, as Sasuke seemed to have been hell bent on challenging him as well as his brother.  
  
"...So you're saying something worse then this Gaara is going to happen?" Shikamaru asked raising a curious eyebrow. Gamakichi hadn't been there personally, but his father said the sand kid had been killed by the Uchiha long before he had gotten there. As well as a lot of others, Gamakichi shivered.  
  
"Much worse, but that's because..." Gamakichi frowned as he recalled how his father said it had ended. Sasuke has challenged his brother who was still looking for Naruto at the time, and Itachi was not amused. He had ended up killing Sasuke...but at the very least Itachi wouldn't be looking for Naruto on this world, so Gamakichi didn't want to have him worry about that problem at the moment. Besides he seriously doubted Naruto would like to explain to them why Itachi was looking for him.  
  
"Is...everyone alright?" Naruto frowned knowing he wasn't about to like the answer.  
  
Gamakichi didn't answer. This was enough to answer Naruto's question. Naruto's head dropped as he stared blankly at the ground.  
  
"Is...Sakura-chan alright?"  
  
"..."  
  
"Damn it! Where was Sasuke!?"  
  
"He...Naruto it...he..." Gamakichi tried to explain everything that happened, but couldn't. Naruto didn't really understand what Gamakichi was trying to say, but Shikamaru knew almost immediately, and it didn't take long for Kiba to figure it out as well. They stared blankly at the frog. As slow as Naruto might be, he eventually figured it out as well, and shook his head in disbelief. Seeing that Naruto apparently understood, Gamakichi sighed and found himself continuing the story.  
  
"I'm not sure what happened Naruto, all I know is what my father told me. Sasuke got this cursed seal from Orochimaru that boosted his chakra immensely. He used it to challenge Itachi and it...it got out of hand. He attacked Itachi who was in the village looking for you. A lot of people died trying to stop them or got caught in the middle..."  
  
Naruto growled through clentched teeth...  
  
"and Sasuke lost..."  
  
"But...Sasuke isn't like that...and he was in the hospital the day I left..how could he have? When did? Why?" Naruto asked in disbelief, "I shouldn't have left! I didn't need this stupid wish in the first place! I should have been there! I could have done something! It..."  
  
"Naruto, clam down, it's not your fault." Gamakichi began.  
  
"That stupid well! I can make a wish to fix all this!" Naruto gasped. Then promptly remembered he didn't know where the well was anymore. He groaned, and stared at the ground. This wasn't good.  
  
"Look, Naruto, maybe it's too late to do something about this in your world, but you are here now. Maybe you can help us with our Sasuke. You said you were going to be on his team. Talk to him, or something." Kiba suggested.  
  
"That might not be a good idea..." Shikamaru frowned, "If our Sasuke is looking for power too...telling him there was a way to gain more might make him go looking for it, and cause the very problem we're trying to avoid. It's like a self-fulfilling prophecy. I think it's better just to make sure Sasuke never gets it or find out about it."  
  
"Well, if it's so bad to tell people about the future why'd Naruto tell us?" Kiba growled.  
  
"Probably, because Naruto doesn't know any better." Shikamaru shrugged, "or at least doesn't think things through too well. It's not like it matters though. He's right when he says that it may or may not happen. If we wanted to, we could easily change our grades, and as a result be assigned to a different team just to prove Naruto wrong. Of course then again, things could have already happened from Naruto's short stay here that could have altered things so that even if we did change our grades. The others in our team would have changed their grades due to other events, and we'd end up on the same teams anyway. It's the only true way to test the idea of fate."  
  
"bwuh?" Kiba blinked not understanding a word.  
  
"Don't worry about it Kiba. Thinking about it is too troublesome for anybody. Best not to worry about it."  
  
"Err...whatever you say, Shikamaru." Kiba blinked hoping he hadn't become as clueless as Naruto.  
  
Naruto frowned. There was nothing he could do with that had already happened. Not unless he found that well again, which was unlikely. Kiba was probably right, he would need to do something about this Sasuke, but he didn't really know this Sasuke. Then again he apparently never really knew his own Sasuke. Plus talking with Sasuke... that would be the day. As if he could ever get that arrogant jerk to talk about anything. Naruto grinned as he faced his friends again. "You just watch. Even if I can't talk Sasuke out of it, he won't beat me."  
  
"You sure Naruto?" Shikamaru asked.  
  
"Heh," Naruto simply grinned confidently, "I'll make sure of it."  
  
"Hmmph, well since you're training so hard I suppose we ought to train ourselves." Kiba grinned, "Right Akamaru."  
  
{Right!}  
  
"I dunno how you do it Naruto, but you seem to make everything so complicated. You sure know how to ruin a guy's day you know that." Shikamaru sighed, "Oh well, I suppose some extra training now will make things less troublesome in the future."  
  
"We could train together." Naruto offered.  
  
"Nah, you're way above us. Besides, I want to see if I can beat you during that fight we have at the chunin examine, and I can't have you knowing all my secrets. Now that I know you're not going to be a push over. You won't win that fight so easily." Kiba grinned.  
  
"We'll see." Naruto laughed.  
  
The two other rookies left to go train on their own. Leaving Naruto sitting in the empty training field once more.  
  
"You'd better go home Gamakichi your dad's probably worried."  
  
Gamakichi nodded and disappeared in a puff of smoke.  
  
Things were getting complicated now. Naruto looked up silently at the sky. The sun was still in the sky. It would be several hours before nightfall. With a new found resolve. Naruto created another set of Bunshins and continued his training.  
  
--------------  
  
"And where have you been?" Gamabunta asked sternly. Gamakichi cringed, having appeared only moments earlier.  
  
"Pop! It's not my fault! I was summoned..."  
  
"Not you, our guest..."  
  
"huh?"  
  
"Hmmph, I don't see what you're concerned with you ugly toad." A familiar voice growled.  
  
"Huh?" Gamakichi blinked as he turned towards a voice he hadn't expected to hear here.  
  
"You know I don't remember our Naruto ever having that much attitude." Gamabunta commented.  
  
"Gee, I wonder... could it be...I'm not HIM!? Nah..." A frustrated Naruto Uzumaki growled sarcastically.  
  
"Family is family, and that extends to apply to you too. Even if you aren't the one that signed the contract, you're linked with him so there's nothing I can do about it...unfortunately." Gamabunta growled irritably, it was apparent he wished that it wasn't true.  
  
"Whatever you old blow bag. The only reason I'm stuck here is because of that stupid wish, and I'm fairly sure I'm not any better off here."  
  
"If you keep it up with that cheek of yours, you won't be." Gamabunta growled obviously beginning to loose his patience.  
  
"Feh, as if you could do anything to me. Family, remember."  
  
"I could just as easily fix that."  
  
"and your precious Naruto would have to be thrown out as well, and you wouldn't want that now would you?"  
  
"Don't push your luck with me, boy."  
  
"Same to you, wart breath."  
  
Gamabunta grumbled to himself as he eyed his new guest. He really wondered if he could put up with this...  
  
--------------  
  
Naruto finished yet another set of Bunshins off, this time making sure that to watch for that sneaky speed trick they had tried last time. He was amazed he was doing this well. Usually this much effort exhausted him only after one battle, then again his previous battle today had been interrupted. He didn't have much time to ponder why though. Most of his thoughts were muddled at the moment. He was absolutely positive Sasuke wasn't the type to recklessly kill people. He wondered how it had all happened. It had to have been during the second test. They had run into Orochimaru, and Sasuke had been acting funny ever since then. Sakura knew something, but had never said anything. So Naruto had always figured it wasn't really that important. He'd have to keep a better eye on Sasuke during that exam, but he barely remembered what had happened during that first day...this complicated things considerably. Maybe he could warn Sasuke ahead of time, but would that actually help? Naruto was so caught up in what he should do, he failed to notice that he wasn't alone again.  
  
"So...you are the sleeper." A stern voice growled. Naruto blinked, as he turned around to face...  
  
"Mizuki?" Naruto blinked. He blinked again. Naruto slapped his forehead as he realized that this was before Mizuki had tried to frame him, and hence was still around. Although this was still a bizarre situation, as he wondered what could have brought Mizuki to him, after all, there wasn't anything he could bait him with to steal the scroll anymore. Naruto eyed the arrogant instructor warily, and realized that he was dressed in the same combat outfit he had worn the night he had tried to frame Naruto. Right down to the twin giant Shuriken on his back, Naruto's eyes narrowed as he realized Mizuki's initial tone of voice hadn't been all that friendly. Nor was the sharp glare he was getting at the moment.  
  
"I'm not asleep..." Naruto protested.  
  
"Very funny." Mizuki hissed, "Give it up. Do you think any real Gennin would posses the skills you do? It's obvious you're the one Sakai sent."  
  
"What are you talking about!?" Naruto blinked, "Who the hell is Sakai?"  
  
"Don't give me that, Uzumaki...or whoever you really are. You will not leave this field alive." Mizuki growled as he reached for one of the giant Ninja stars, "You will not threaten our lord's plan."  
  
"Your lord's plan?" Naruto blinked, confused as hell.  
  
"DIE!"  
  
Mizuki predictably threw the shuriken aimed at Naruto's head. Naruto toppled backwards more out of surprise then as an attempt to dodge. He was still taken off guard by the fact Mizuki seem to be attacking him without trying to have him steal the scroll first. He curiously wondered what was going on, as he rolled out of the way of a hail of Kunai that tore up the dirt where he had fallen. Naruto flipped back to his feet, and calmly took a confident stance.  
  
"Look, Mizuki, I don't know what you're talking about, but you're just too weak to beat me, so give it up already." Naruto grinned. He watched Mizuki go for his other Shuriken, and laughed. Bringing up his hands he made at least a hundred Bunshins appear in every corner of the field. Mizuki paused with the Shuriken held in mid throw. To Naruto's surprise, he calmly assessed the multiple Naruto's, and grinned.  
  
"I've been watching you, Uzumaki, and I already know the serious flaw in your Jutsu." Mizuki laughed.  
  
"What's that?" all the Naruto's asked in unison.  
  
"You don't change spot when you create the Bunshins!" Mizuki yelled as he launched the giant Shuriken at the real Naruto. Said Naruto simply shrugged and ducked the giant projectile.  
  
"Oh come on, Mizuki, that was lame." The Narutos taunted. None noticed the giant blade change direction in mid air and go sailing back in the direction it had come. Nor did they notice the slight twinge of a smile that crossed Mizuki's face. The blade continued to descend.  
  
"Who is this lord you were spouting off about?" Naruto asked wanting to clear this up before he beat Mizuki senseless. Mizuki's grin grew wider as he watched the blade descend.  
  
"Why do you think I'm sleeping?" Naruto frowned. As Mizuki's gaze changed to Naruto, he grinned evilly as he watched the projectile continue towards it's target. There was no way it could miss now... The Shuriken hit Naruto squarely in the back, and continued to pass through a harmless puff of smoke. Mizuki's jaw dropped. True, Naruto really didn't change places when he created the Bunshins. Usually his actual position was masked during the creation, but a good memory could locate the real one by remembering where he had been. It was a simple tactic, but ultimately useless, since one could always switch places with by using Kawarimi. After all, that's what Kakashi had done to him a long time ago. No sense in putting that lesson to waste. Mizuki was so shocked he almost forgot that his own projectile was still returning to him. He barely remembered in time to catch it. Now realizing that he was not only surrounded, but by a foe that was probably stronger then he was, he nervously adopted a fighting stance. There had to be a way for him to get away.  
  
"You didn't answer my questions." The Naruto's repeated in unison.  
  
"You haven't won this yet." Mizuki growled as he charged at the nearest group of bunshins and tried to desperately hack his way out of the circle of Naruto's. Naruto was surprised, he didn't remember Mizuki being a good fighter, then again Mizuki had panicked when he used kage bunshin again him. So perhaps he never really got to see. Still, Mizuki seemed to be better at fighting 1 on 1 fights then against a hundred all trying to strike him at once. As Mizuki dealt his vicious blow to the bunshin using his oversized shuriken, he left himself wide open to an attack from behind. A mistake Naruto had learned to correct early on in his training. Two others tackled Mizuki from behind, knocking him forward into the waiting arms of still more Bunshins. It wasn't until a muffled yelp of surprise from one of the Bunshins that the clones stopped trying to dog pile on top of Mizuki. In the precious moments of silence that ensued. The slight hissing and the smell of something burning was the only indication of what was about to happen. Moments later the entire pile exploded. Mizuki appeared seconds later in the branches of a tree not to far away.  
  
"What was that?" One of the Naruto's asked in surprise looking at the crater where Mizuki had been. Mizuki's eyes narrowed and tossed a Kunai at the Naruto that spoke. The blade hit and passed through yet another Bunshin. He scowled. Moments later, an exploding tag that had been tied to the kunai blew up taking several more Bunshins with it. The remaining Naruto's growled, and took out a handful of Shuriken. Mizuki didn't even get a chance to blink as he saw what looked like a cloud of spinning metal advance upon him. It obliterated the tree, reducing much of the limbs to firewood. Mizuki had the sense to use Kawarimi again to dodge the assault. He would run for now. Naruto Uzumaki was apparently much stronger then he was led to believe. He was most definitely the sleeper, and even if he could not deal with him himself. There were others that could surely get the job done. He had simply confirmed what they needed to know. His mission complete, he began leaping through the trees, away from the battlefield.  
  
It took Naruto several seconds to make sure Mizuki was gone, before he relaxed. He knew that this was a problem. As he stood there in the empty field he thought about everything that Mizuki had said, and wondered just what it was that he was talking about. There was something very wrong with this, he had no idea what, but something...something was VERY wrong with this situation. Who was Mizuki serving? Who was Sakai? What did he have to do with anything? And how in the world was he supposedly sleeping? Somehow....everything...was just so...  
  
"...Troublesome."  
  
#Troublesome? Who do you think you are? Shikamaru?#  
  
Naruto groaned. He had almost forgotten about that problem too...


End file.
